rail traffic still strongly impacted in Dijon
This Friday, January 20, many trains were canceled in Dijon because of the national strike movement against the pension reform the day before. Travelers are annoyed and do not hesitate to let it be known.
On the platforms, the station staff is bombarded with questions. In question, the trains have been canceled or even canceled since the beginning of the morning. The consequence of the important day of mobilization experienced by the SNCF on Thursday January 19, with more than 46% of strikers at the national level.
To read: strike of January 19 in Dijon: “we had not seen that since the yellow vests”
The director of cabinet of the company in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Nabil Djaafer, justifies this fragile situation. “Each day after a strike, the railway machine must be restarted and the system gradually restored to the region. Drivers, controllers and trains must be repositioned”he declares.
An explanation that should probably not satisfy travelers. “I was supposed to take the TGV at 9 a.m. and when I arrived, I was told a one hour delay. You never know how much time to take, even 1 hour is not enough”assures a traveler.
Same story for a woman pressed for time, and determined to get on a train no matter what. “My first train at 2 p.m. was cancelled, I was put on a second train today at 9 a.m. which is an hour late, and I am forbidden to board the 9.30 a.m. train, which also had to delay, under penalty of a fine”she says.
We are sheep, we must not say anything and we miss our work. The government has to do something.
A traveler at Dijon station
The latter appeals to the responsibility of the government. “I find it shameful. We are sheep, we must not say anything and we miss our work, the government must do something. I will get on the 9.30 a.m. train and I will not pay the fine”she announces.
“I’m working and I’m expected at 11 a.m. in Paris, and I’m going to be late as usual. Yesterday, I couldn’t leave because there was a strike. It’s always the same hassle”, complains a traveler. Traffic recovered around 10 a.m., but with around ten TGVs canceled on the eve of the weekend, the end of the day looks more complicated than usual.